Griffin House re-adopts musical motivation

It has taken Griffin House more than a decade to go full circle with his reasons for playing music.

By JASON GILMER For the Herald-Journal

It has taken Griffin House more than a decade to go full circle with his reasons for playing music.

In 2001, he "borrowed" (his phrase) some jewel cases that a radio station in Oxford, Ohio, were discarding and self-released his own debut.

He sold copies of "No More Crazy Love Songs," which was recorded in a basement, at shows and during classes at Miami University.

"I started with what I thought were very good motives," House said via email. "I was just doing it for the love of it, because I wanted to make and do something beautiful to be able to give to people. Then I got a little taste of success and it felt addictive and I wanted more of it.

"I became a little more concerned with my ‘career' and getting famous and ‘making it.' Then I slowly started to realize that that didn't feel good. Over the course of the past few years, I've re-adopted the motive of doing music in order to be able to receive love from other people so that I can give it away. I'm feeling much better about what I do and why I do it now."

House is sure to receive plenty of love from his fans when he plays at 8 p.m. Thursday at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, N.C.

House plays the majority of his shows as a solo artist or with drummer-bassist Chris Farney.

"It's nicer these days to not try to travel with a full band because a lot of the rooms we play seem to work better when it's a little more stripped down," he said. "I can talk to the audience more easily that way, and I find it much more comfortable to either travel solo or with Chris."

It's been four years since House toured with a full band. His schedule has changed, too, as he's married and a father of two and doesn't like to be away for more than a couple of weeks at a time.

"It makes touring a lot more manageable and sane and healthy," he said of the travel and personnel.

House is a prolific songwriter who is currently working on new material for the follow-up to last year's "Balls." Recently, his wife's car was stolen twice within a few days, prompting House, when asked about it during the interview for this story, to pen a four-verse song about the incident that includes such lines as "I hope they keep the car/ It's been missing now for 30 days/ And if they don't bring it back/ The insurance company pays."

His songs have appeared on television shows such as "Rescue Me" and "One Tree Hill"), in commercials and in movies.

"I think having a lot of show in film and TV has helped (my career) tremendously," he said. "For a few years it seemed like we were always getting songs placed in shows. I think there were 12 different TV shows or something and a few movies and commercials. That helped keep the ship afloat financially, and it obviously helped more people hear my songs."

House's roots-based pop songs are deeply personal and can make him feel vulnerable and empowered at the same time.

"Generally, by the time a song makes it onto a record I believe that it has to be valuable in some way or else I would not be recording it for people to hear," House said. "I write about five or 10 times the amount of songs that ever see the light of day.

"It does surprise me, though, what songs end up resonating the most with people. It's often songs that I think are not my best that end of up being the favorites and vice versa."